Jesus is my friend

Hello humans. My call was assigned on January 28. I was born on February 28 and received my endowments in the Logan temple on February 28th. 28 days until I ship out to Provo. Annnddd it's 8:28 right now- I just looked at my phone I promise you. Stranger things have happened.

Anyways, tonight Sister Virginia Hinckley Pearce came and spoke to us for relief society night. She was amazing. Sister Pearce is President Hinckley's daughter and Amanda (in my ward)'s grandma. What a strong, funny woman. At dinner she told me how beautiful Croatia was and that I'll not want to come home after my mission! Her talk was about clearing out the clutter in our minds and how our thoughts turn into emotions and then to behavior. She told us how we need to remember the important thoughts like God loves us and He understands, and how we need to understand that and love ourselves too. Later, the elders who were helping out with the night told us how interestingly different women's meetings are compared to men's. They said in women's they seem to build you up and men's they say, "do better!" 

It's been the most amazing year up here at USU. To say I've grown more than ever before would be an understatement.  I remember when I first accepted my calling in the fall, walking out of the bishop's office, calling my parents and a few others, and just letting the tears flow! I had no idea what relief society was, no idea how it ran, was taking 18 credits, school involvement, living with new people, art classes, weqn;lvkjs;ldw! Basically that's how I felt. I know the power of prayer is a real thing. Okay, my roommates and I have been stuck this video. But really. Jesus knows us and so does God. They love and help us, more than anyone else can. All we gotta do is ask! That, my friends, is cool. Now enjoy this picture of mi madre y myself. (Plot twist- I turned into her when I came to college. I always carry tissues and bring candies into movie theaters and give my roommates medicine.) The Logan temple though. So beautiful. TWO MORE FINALS LEFT!

My mom is a cool cat. (If I had emojis, I'd put a cat one on here)

Thirty eight

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22! Or.. actually 12. I feel young but here I am, old enough to go on a mission. Super excited, still. Sometimes I just get on YouTube and watch my call opening over and over and cry *good cry* or get pumped and it's beautiful. 38 days until I settle into the land of Provo. I went home this weekend to do some various things (mission pack, plan my life, nanny, see friends, a homecoming) and ended up eating dinner in at Zupas with my future companions! They were all super nice. It was fun to here tidbits of info everyone had heard about the mission, Andrea's (in the orange) Dad is from Croatia, so she had lots of great insight. I ordered new scripture tabs to help me organize my scriptures with Preach My Gospel, so that has kept me busying studying. Oh, and studying for school and such (what's school?)  I've gone to the temple every week since my birthday. It's such a beautiful and peaceful place. I went with Shayna a few weeks ago and we got to the temple, sat in the parking lot and cried for a good twenty mintues because we were stressed, concerned for girls in our ward, anxious about learning new (hard) languages, upcoming finals, etc etc etc. When we finally went inside, I forgot every stress and could just feel love. Being in the temple is like a constant warm hug of comfort. How's that for a metaphor?
I read Elder Dube's conference talk last week that talked about praying for the missionaries in your area by name, because praying in general gets a general answer. If you pray specifically, you get a specific answer! We got new sisters in our YSA stake, which I stalked and contacted. Sisters Chriv and Forte. I set up a "family night" with them and a room of cute girls below mine, where one roommate was baptized in November. I get giddy and happy every time I see/and are with them. We talked about how you need prayer to ask God and thank Him, scriptures to receive answers, and the sacrament each week to renew covenants and remember Christ. They pulled out their handy dandy iPads and showed a video about Lot's wife and how we shouldn't look back, but continue onward in faith. It's so cool to see technology used for good like that. Everyone in the room could feel the spirit. EXCITING TIMES, GUYS.

^^dinner with girls going to my mission. Samantha, Sarah, Brynn, Andrea, Amber and I.